The gloves are mesh so that they can be comfortably worn on a warm day. Also, the hands can be seen through them. Though this effect might look sensual, this is not the true meaning of this tight netting. The idea is to let a little bit of the moist skin of the wearer’s fingers through the gloves so that she can gain purchase on the pages of her prayer book as she flips them during mass.

Fingers truly gloved would slide, would force the wearer to struggle noisily with her text during holy offices, and this cannot be. What if the wearer of such gloves got frustrated with her unwieldy and tenuous grasp on her blessed book? What if she were to sigh and grumble aloud in church? This cannot be—oh—she might even forget herself and take the Lord’s name in vain!